? about cycling a tank

[itsamyheff]

I recently started a upgrade and have a question. I have a 150 gallon fowl tank that I am setting up. I used the sand that came with the tank. The sand set in buckets for about 2 weeks still in water before placing in the tank. I used what water I could transport from the set up before it was taken down. I since have used water from my reef tank water changes to fill it up. I put about 40 pounds of live rock ruble from the reef in the sump, and about 100 lbs. out of my fowl set up that is coming down in the display. I put some frozen fish food in to help with cycling faster. It has been running for over 3 weeks now. I got diatom/brown algae about a week after set up. It seems to be going away now. I never saw the ammonia or nitrite climb. I do have about 15 pp on the nitrate. I had 10 pp on the nitrate when I first set up using the old water. Is this ready to go? I am all about waiting, Safer the better, just wanted to get you guys o pion. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

 

[dakota9]

If you have zero ammonia and zero trites after 3 weeks with having added frozen food, I say go for it, but stock it slowly to let the bio-filter build up slowly.

 

[rdnelson]

I would bet with all the LR and LS you didn't have a cycle. But, if you want to be sure, use pure amonia drop by drop to get it up to 4 ppm amonia. Then wait 24 hours and test everything. If amonia and nitrite are 0 and nitrate has risen then you are cycled.

 

[patrick]

You def have a cycle going on as you are producing nitrate....which is the end product. But I like rdnelson's suggestion to be completely assured. I will be doing something similar here soon and the fish that have to go in there are dear pets.....so I will be for certain myself before they go in.

 

[itsamyheff]

Pure ammonia? as in cleaning supplies?

 

[rdnelson]

Yes but it must be pure. Ace Hardware brand if very good for that. If you were not so far away I would give you some but a bottle of it is less than the gas to drive to the nearest Ace. LOL You just want to make sure it has nothing but Amonia. The Ace Janitorial Strength is just that.

itsamyheff;716704 wrote: Pure ammonia? as in cleaning supplies?

 

[dakota9]

Just Pee in the tank....... Gees!

Seriously, Pee in the tank until you have a registerable amount of ammonia, and then test a few days later to see if the bio filter has absorbed it.........

This would work great to build up a week or new biofilter in any fallow tank

 

[rdnelson]

Yes, my luck would be that my wife or one of my daughters would walk in durring this. I would be in a straight jacket shortly thereafter. LOL Besides, no telling what other than ammonia might be in my pee. LOL

Dakota9;716801 wrote: Just Pee in the tank....... Gees!

Seriously, Pee in the tank until you have a registerable amount of ammonia, and then test a few days later to see if the bio filter has absorbed it.........

This would work great to build up a week or new biofilter in any fallow tank

 

[dakota9]

rdnelson99;716848 wrote: Yes, my luck would be that my wife or one of my daughters would walk in durring this. I would be in a straight jacket shortly thereafter. LOL Besides, no telling what other than ammonia might be in my pee. LOL

Straight Jacket? No......... Not unless you were also yelling "You're such a Dirty Girl" at your sump while you do it........

But to each their own.........

 

[tangaray]

Dakota9;716852 wrote: Straight Jacket? No......... Not unless you were also yelling "You're such a Dirty Girl" at your sump while you do it........

But to each their own.........

That almost made me pee my pants!!!! LOL

 

[hud3339]

Dakota9;716852 wrote: Straight Jacket? No......... Not unless you were also yelling "You're such a Dirty Girl" at your sump while you do it........

But to each their own.........

I can so see Larry doing this hahahaha

 

[dme330i]

skip the pee. If everything you say is accurate, then it's ready to go.

I used established rock on my 93, established matrix, new sand, and new water. Multiple SPS and fish were in the tank within days.

As long as there is nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria in there, you're good to go (140 pounds of various live rock will have what you need).